Jude Travers-Frazier, COO, Kraft & Kennedy previously blogged about an iPad bluetooth keyboard (read here) and as a result of that, we were offered a keyboard from Brydge to review. They sent over the Brydge+ with built in speakers for us to evaluate.
Unboxing and setup were very straightforward. There is a quick start guide included (paper, not digital) that was very easy to understand. I had the keyboard connected to the iPad and working in under a minute. After the keyboard was paired with the iPad, the speakers had to be paired as well and this was just as simple to accomplish.
The keyboard is small so as to fit the form factor of the iPad. Even so, I was quick to adjust to the key size and spacing and typed considerably faster on it that on the iPad’s onscreen keyboard. In my limited testing so far, I did not feel that I was as fast on this keyboard as I am on my computer keyboard. The speaker worked really well. I was able to play music, movies and website sounds without issue. And the quality of the sound was a step up from the iPad.
The keyboard also holds the iPad in place on a hinge and makes it feel like a laptop. When you close the iPad onto the keyboard for transportation, it acts as a case and shields the screen. This eliminated the need for the iPad cover.
Overall, the keyboard is a really nice solution for people that intend to leverage their iPad for productive work sessions.